Souness names ONLY Man Utd player who’d make Liverpool XI, as major Ten Hag buy branded ‘average’

Graeme Souness

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness believes just a single Manchester United player would make Jurgen Klopp’s best XI – and at a push, while the Scot also branded an expensive United recruit ‘average’.

Man Utd travel to Anfield this weekend with their season seemingly in turmoil. The Red Devils are out of Europe, out of the League Cup and already trail Manchester City in fourth spot by six points. United’s last two trips to Anfield resulted in punishing 7-0 and 4-0 defeats.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have won every match they’ve played on home soil this season and all bar the 4-3 victory over Fulham were won by at least two clear goals.

Clearly, Man Utd will enter the contest as underdogs and may perhaps be reliant on pieces of individual brilliance to spring a surprise.

Now, when writing in his column for the Daily Mail, ex-Reds midfielder, Graeme Souness, picked out the only Man Utd player he believes could crack Liverpool’s best eleven.

“Tell me, who would Liverpool take from Man United?” began Souness. “Bruno Fernandes, perhaps.

“I think he would be a star in Liverpool’s team, because he has all the qualities you need to be a top player. Right now, however, there is something missing from his game.”

Fernandes went viral in the 7-0 defeat at Anfield last term for appearing to down tools on several occasions.

Nonetheless, the Portuguese playmaker does remain one of the most potent playmakers in the Premier League and is one of United’s rare successes in the market over recent years.

Fernandes has racked up 10 goal contributions across all competitions this season. More impressive is the nine big chances he’s created, a mark that places him joint-third in the Premier League this season.

But unfortunately for Man Utd, Fernandes will miss the Liverpool clash through suspension. The 29-year-old picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last week and will serve a one-match ban on Sunday.

Rasmus Hojlund stung by Souness

However, Souness was less kind when turning the spotlight on £72m striker, Rasmus Hojlund.

Much was expected when Man Utd paid such a hefty sum to pluck the Dane out of Atalanta over the summer.

But while Hojlund scored five in an ultimately ill-fated Champions League campaign, he’s still yet to open his account in the Premier League despite making 12 appearances.

For all of his endeavour and promise, an expensive striker still waiting for his first goal four months into the season is simply not good enough for Man Utd.

“He cost £72million in the summer and still hasn’t scored in the league,” continued Souness. “I go back to when his fellow Dane, Christian Eriksen, was asked about him and all he said was that he’s quick and very aggressive.

“I thought that was a tell-tale sign, because someone who knows him should have been kinder and far more complimentary.

“I have written a lot about Erik ten Hag and, having been a manager, I would never call for another to lose their job. But everyone at that club has to look over their shoulder with a new co-owner coming in. It needs a total revamp.

“The football decisions have left them £1billion worse off and with this group of players, who simply aren’t good enough for where the club should be.

“Manager wise, they have tried everything – the serial winners in Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, the club legend in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and now Ten Hag.

“But it doesn’t matter who they have if they continue to sign average players. That is why, for me, Liverpool will beat them again this weekend.

“Saying all of that, if ever there was a game to resurrect your season and gain confidence, this would be it, winning at Anfield. I just can’t see it happening.”

Liverpool host Man Utd at 4:30pm UK time on Sunday afternoon.

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